The Journal - Michelle Bruchhttp://www.journalmpls.com/authors/michelle-bruch
enFranken vs. McFadden in Senate racehttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/voters-guide/franken-vs-mcfadden-in-senate-race
<div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Michelle Bruch</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p class="p1">Incumbent Democratic Senator Al Franken and Republican candidate Mike McFadden have different strategies to boost the economy: McFadden emphasizes cutting red tape to speed copper-nickel mining and oil pipeline projects; Franken wants to help refinance student debt and improve job skills training.</p>
<p class="p3">The candidates disagree on the Affordable Care Act: McFadden has said he would repeal it and replace it with a “patient-centered, market-based” program controlled by the states; Franken defends it, saying the law cut the state’s uninsured rate nearly in half.</p>
<p class="p3">McFadden has worked to closely tie Franken’s voting record to President Obama. Franken’s attack ads, meanwhile, have focused on McFadden’s business interests.</p>
<p class="p3">David Schultz, a political science professor at Hamline University, said most polls at press time showed Franken with an 8-10 point lead, with the exception of a KSTP poll that showed a larger lead but also a larger margin of error.</p>
<p class="p3">“I think they’ve been frozen more or less since the primary in August,” Schultz said. </p>
<p class="p3">Libertarian Party candidate Heather Johnson and Independence Party candidate Steve Carlson haven’t gained much traction in polls, Schultz said, and they weren’t included in the first debate in Duluth.</p>
<p class="p3">The fundraising arm of Alliance for a Better Minnesota launched a six-figure ad buy opposing McFadden, with more than $850,000 in cash on hand in October. The progressive policy group planned to focus ads on Medicare and Social Security. </p>
<p class="p3">The Ohio-based Hometown Freedom Action Network has spent more than $340,000 to oppose Franken. </p>
<p class="p3">Upcoming debates are Oct. 26, 10-11 a.m. hosted by WCCO, and Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. hosted by Minnesota Public Radio.</p>
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<p><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/11/04/2014/Senate%20-%20Al%20Franken-200x300.jpg" width="200" height="300" style="float: left; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></p>
<p class="p1"><strong>(Incumbent)<br /></strong><strong>Al Franken</strong></p>
<p class="p3">Home: Elliot Park neighborhood in Minneapolis</p>
<p class="p3">Party: DFL</p>
<p class="p3">Campaign cash: $15 million thru July</p>
<p class="p3">Campaign website: <a href="http://www.franken.senate.gov/" target="_blank">www.franken.senate.gov</a></p>
<p class="p4">Al Franken said in written responses that his top priorities for another term relate to the economy.</p>
<p class="p5">“We’ve experienced 55 straight months of private sector job growth but most of the economic benefit has gone to the top — not to middle class families,” he said.</p>
<p class="p5">Franken said he’s focused on job skills training, new legislation to make college more affordable, a minimum wage increase, and tax code reform that’s “fair for everyone.”</p>
<p class="p5">Franken took office in 2009 and previously worked as a screenwriter, comedian, author and radio talk show host.</p>
<p class="p5">He said his major Senate accomplishments include securing more funding for mental health services in schools and passing a bipartisan workforce training reform system. He also cited work to make insurance companies more accountable under the health care law.</p>
<p class="p5">“I wrote one of the largest cost-saving measures into the law which requires health insurance companies to spend at least 80 percent of people’s premium dollars on actual health care as opposed to profits, CEO salaries or marketing,” he said. “Consumers have already received $1.9 billion in rebates because of my provision.”</p>
<p class="p5">Regarding the potential for the Federal Aviation Administration to consolidate departures into fewer flight paths out of the airport (so-called “highways in the sky”), Franken said he’s urged the FAA to take public concerns into account.</p>
<p class="p5">“Because we have an urban airport, the FAA and MSP need to consider its neighbors, and balance their concerns with the desire for efficient airport operations. I will continue to push the FAA to have open communication with area residents,” he said. “The FAA is studying whether current noise limits need to be changed, and I will carefully review what the science has to say about the effect of noise on adjacent neighborhoods.”</p>
<p class="p5">Regarding partisan gridlock in Congress, Franken said he’s focused on trying to find common ground with Republican colleagues. He cited work with Republican senators on a federal workforce training system, a push against unfair trade practices by South Korea, protection of the federal sugar program as part of the Farm Bill, and reduced railroad complaint fees.</p>
<p class="p5">“This is what you have to do as a Senator — you can’t let frustration and gridlock get in your way,” he said.</p>
<p class="p5">Local contributors to Franken’s campaign include Pohlad Companies executives, attorney Mike Ciresi and Dayton family members.</p>
<p class="p5">According to data provided by the Sunlight Foundation, Franken’s biggest political action committee donors include $160,898 from Americans for Responsible Solutions, a group founded by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and her husband to encourage elected officials to prevent gun violence.</p>
<p class="p5">Franken lives with his wife at the Grant Park Condominiums, and they have two children.</p>
<p class="p1"><strong><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/11/04/2014/Senate%20-%20Mike%20McFadden-300x240.jpg" width="300" height="240" style="float: left; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" />Mike McFadden</strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Home: Sunfish Lake</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Party: Rebublican</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Current job: Former Co-CEO of Lazard Middle Market</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Money raised: $4 million thru July</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Campaign website: <a href="https://www.mikemcfadden.com/" target="_blank">www.mikemcfadden.com</a></span></p>
<p class="p3">Mike McFadden said in the Oct. 1 debate in Duluth he would focus on energy and mining, education, and effective government if elected Senator.</p>
<p class="p4">McFadden has spent the past 20 years working at the company now called Lazard Middle Market, a financial advisory and asset management firm. He represented businesses that wanted to be acquired, according to the Pioneer Press, typically companies worth $20 million-$300 million.</p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">McFadden’s campaign did not respond to questions for the Voter’s Guide. In the Duluth debate, he said he would push to open oil pipelines and the PolyMet copper-nickel mine to create more jobs for Minnesotans.</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">“I’m tired of this false choice that’s put forth by the environmentalists that you’re either for the environment or for jobs. You can be for both. I’ve not met one person in Minnesota, myself included, that wants to do anything that would harm our 10,000 lakes. But we have a process here that has taken nine years and $200 million dollars, and we still don’t have an answer. ... For the good people on the Iron Range they’ve just lost another generation because there’s not jobs.”</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">Regarding education, McFadden said it is shameful that Minnesota has some of the nation’s worst educational outcomes for minorities, with the lowest graduation rate for Hispanics and second lowest for African Americans.</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">“Where is the moral outrage on that?” he said. </span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s3">He noted his service on the board at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in the Phillips neighborhood.</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">“I’ve been involved in an inner-city school in one of the toughest neighborhoods, where 90 percent of our kids are Latino or African American and we have a 100 percent graduation rate, and we do it for 60 percent of the cost,” he said. “I want to radically change the school system in the inner city so all children, regardless of zip code, have the right to a first-class education.”</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">McFadden has attacked Franken’s voting record, calling him the most partisan senator in the Democratic party, voting with President Barack Obama 97 percent of the time.</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">“I believe that the biggest single issue in this country is we’ve created this professional class of politicians, and it’s killing us,” he said. “And I believe in six years that Sen. Franken has become part of that professional class. ... I’ve been in the private sector my whole life, I know how to have efficiency and make efficiency.”</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">Local contributors to McFadden’s campaign include Best Buy founder Richard Schulze, Valspar CEO Gary Hendrickson, and Greco CEO Arnie Gregory, who is the developer of Uptown apartments like Blue, Lime and Flux.</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">McFadden grew up in Omaha and met his wife while attending the University of St. Thomas. He has six children.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><strong><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/11/04/2014/Senate%20-%20Heather%20Johnson-200x279.jpg" width="200" height="279" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; float: left;" />Heather Johnson</strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Home: Golden Valley</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Party: Libertarian Party </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Current job: Hamline University student, writer, Libertarian Party Secretary</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Money raised: No filing at Federal Election Commission thru July</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Campaign website: <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/hjohnsonformnsenator/" target="_blank">sites.google.com/site/hjohnsonformnsenator</a></span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s2">Heather Johnson said she first became involved in activism as a teenager, when she worked to get out the vote and advocate on the effects of drug and alcohol abuse.</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">“The thing I’d really like to focus on is campaign and election law reform,” she said.</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">Johnson said she’s upset that third parties are excluded from debates.</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s3">“It’s creating the false idea that Democrats and Republicans outnumber everyone else,” she said.</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">Johnson has previously worked in quality control for the mortgage and financial industries. She said she’s also worked in retail, and when the market fell out she worked in security.</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">“I decided to go back to school to focus on writing,” she said. </span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">If elected, Johnson would work to end the war on drugs to decrease government spending; she said incarceration isn’t effective in stopping drug use. </span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">She wants to replace the Affordable Care Act with a more competitive system. </span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">“Whenever you have governments involved, it stifles competition in the market,” she said. “[ACA] was a huge failure for Minnesotans.”</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">Johnson would also like to end “cyclical” U.S. involvement in the Middle East.</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">“I think if we continue to take military action, it will never end,” she said.</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s4">In lieu of affordable housing developments, Johnson said she’d prefer to see vouchers for individuals to live where they like. She’s particularly interested in alternative, energy-efficient housing like “tiny homes.”</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">Johnson has two children.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Steve Carlson </strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Home: Provides a St. Paul campaign <br /> P.O. Box</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Party: Independence Party </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Current job: Consultant, writer and musician, according to LinkedIn page</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Money raised: Carlson did not raise or solicit any money as of September</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Campaign website: <a href="http://stevecarlsonforcongress2010.com/" target="_blank">stevecarlsonforcongress2010.com</a></span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s2">Steve Carlson didn’t respond to emails or calls for our Voter’s Guide, but he’s posted plenty of video footage on his positions for the interested viewer. </span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">The self-proclaimed Tea Party member took the Independence Party by surprise when he beat the endorsed candidate Kevin Terrell, a Lynnhurst resident, in the August primary by nearly 800 votes. In a Federal Election Commission filing, Carlson said he “contacted voters outstate through social media and that is how I won.” </span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">Carlson also ran against Betty McCollum as a U.S. House Independence Party candidate in 2010 and 2012, taking about 6 percent of the vote in each race.</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">According to his website, Carlson calls himself a “radical centrist” and supports “traditional marriage,” equal exposure for minority party candidates, and protections to curb consumer credit debt.</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">He gives the Affordable Care Act a failing grade, and in 2010 he posted a “jazz rap” with the lyrics: “Four years we’ve had the Democrats everywhere, But all they could come up with is ObamaCare. They want the public option called the single-payer, But they just left insurance costs way up in the air.” </span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">Carlson’s social media strategy is prolific and unique among the candidates. He tweeted one of his recent posts at least 350 times: “Barack Obama, Al Franken have no constitutional authority to put boots on the ground in Ebola,” tweeting direct messages to accounts ranging from Newsweek and the Los Angeles Times to Starbucks UK, the city of Grand Marais and Heavy Table.</span></p>
</div></div></div>Thu, 23 Oct 2014 14:45:34 +0000Sarah McKenzie23880 at http://www.journalmpls.comhttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/voters-guide/franken-vs-mcfadden-in-senate-race#commentsMayor and Police Chief hear pleas for better police conducthttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/news/mayor-and-police-chief-hear-pleas-for-better-police-conduct
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<span class="field-slideshow-caption-text">"What are the police going to do to help us, and how can we help them get these neighborhoods back?" asks Lena Slaughter. </span>
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<span class="field-slideshow-credit-text">Michelle Bruch</span>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Michelle Bruch</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Anita Gates said she's been the personal victim of police brutality on at least five occasions, and she's lost feeling in her wrists due to tight handcuffs. Gates, a Native American, is a teacher at Augsburg Fairview Academy at 25th &amp; Columbus. She said she's seen police officers terrify black students walking out of school, pulling them to the ground while responding to an incident in the area.</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/10/09/2014/Harteau%20and%20Hodges-400x266.JPG" width="400" height="266" style="float: left; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" />Gates spoke at a community listening session Oct. 8 at Macedonia Baptist Church in Kingfield, which was attended by Mayor Betsy Hodges and Police Chief Janeé Harteau. In an effort to address public concern about police relations, Hodges and Harteau laid out their strategies for improvement: a body camera pilot, more community policing on beats, diversity training, more officers of color, early intervention for troubled officers and more transparency.</p>
<p>"Change doesn't come quickly, but change is coming and we are making progress," Harteau said.</p>
<p>"It is critically important that we get right the issue of the relationship between our police department and our community," said Hodges. "If we don't get it right, we get a lot of things really wrong."</p>
<p>Gates asked the chief about psychiatric evaluation of officers.</p>
<p>In response, Harteau said new hires are thoroughly evaluated, but it's hard to know how the job might affect a young person long-term. This week, the federal Office of Justice Programs (OJP) recommended a revamped early intervention program for Minneapolis officers with signs of trouble.</p>
<p>In an Oct. 8 open letter, Hodges said some officers "abuse the trust" afforded to them, and "take advantage of their roles to do harm rather than prevent it."</p>
<p>Hodges' statement came in response to an open letter signed by about 300 people and submitted by Nekima Levy-Pounds, a professor and director of a civil rights legal clinic. The letter said they were offended Harteau skipped a planned listening session last month. Harteau said she acted on tips that the meeting could become physically violent, but Levy-Pounds said that speculation reinforced community stereotypes. She pressed for a culture change at the MPD to improve relations with the community.</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/10/09/2014/Betty-200x284.JPG" width="200" height="284" style="margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px; float: right;" />Some residents at the Oct. 8 meeting also expressed frustration at a perceived lack of progress on policing issues.</p>
<p>"We talk a lot of talk, but we never get things done, and our children are in danger," said Betty Ellison-Harpole, a retired Minneapolis teacher.</p>
<p>In response, Hodges said her budget allocates money for community policing and community service officers (in recent years CSO class members were 50 percent people of color or more). The MPD currently stands at about 20 percent officers of color, according to Hodges, in a city that is 40 percent people of color.</p>
<p>"I understand that diversity does not solve equity, but it can help get us to where we need to go," she said.</p>
<p>Harteau has brought in a consultant to teach officers about "implicit bias," and Harteau said she was first to undergo the training. She said discrimination today often takes a subtle form. The Office of Justice Programs found the most common reports of officer misconduct are lack of respect, unprofessional language or tone, and lack of cultural competence and sensitivity. Harteau said internal affairs complaints have dropped 45 percent in the past six years. She fired six officers for misconduct since becoming chief, two of them after they were caught on video making racial slurs. </p>
<p>"I would hope that people would also see that you have a female person of color as police chief," Harteau said. "I assure you I know what discrimination feels like."</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/10/09/2014/Harteau-350x259.JPG" width="350" height="259" style="float: left; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></p>
<p>Harteau is also emphasizing beat work and urging cops to get out of their cars, though she said the change is difficult when police must speed from call to call. In the same way the department tracks arrests, they are now tracking community engagement, she said. Harteau said she's asking officers to spend more time on burglary calls, for example, even if suspect information is limited. Officers are increasingly working as initial investigators and talking to neighbors, she said.</p>
<p>"I tell people this is not a drive-thru service," Harteau said. "Our goal is that you're not a repeat customer. ... Doing more intelligence and investigative work at that time has been netting our burglaries going down, because we're actually finding we can have an impact. They're not impossible to solve."</p>
<p>The department is also undertaking a "police legitimacy procedural justice" study in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, focusing on East African and Somali-American communities, done in partnership with the national Police Executive Research Forum.</p>
<p>"I believe the community gets to decide how much authority we as police have," Harteau said. "You decide if you call 911. You decide how much authority we have to police your neighborhood. You decide if you're going to tell us who did it."</p>
<p>Lena Slaughter said some residents are indeed afraid to call 911. Slaughter lived at 44th &amp; Clinton until gang activity prompted her to move to North Minneapolis. Now she's moved to the suburbs, and she gave an emotional plea for a safer North side.</p>
<p>"Now I don't even go and see people that I love because it's scary," she said. "These young men have a scare tactic. They sit on corners and half of them you know are selling drugs, and the police just ride by and do nothing. We should not be scared to come out after it gets dark outside. What are the police going to do to help us, and how can we help them get these neighborhoods back? Because they're falling to pieces."</p>
<p>Harteau said crime stats indicate otherwise.</p>
<p>"Statistically what you're saying doesn't match when I look at the number of arrests, crime trends, crime numbers," she said. "But perception is reality."</p>
<p>She said Minneapolis' overall crime is down 1 percent and violent crime is up nearly 4 percent, rates that stand on top of 30-year lows.</p>
<p>"We have a really solid foundation to build upon," she said.</p>
<p>One resident who lives at the edge of Powderhorn Park said she's hesitant to call police and feed youth into a pattern of incarceration.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/10/09/2014/Chart-550x367.JPG" width="550" height="367" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Hodges said she understood the concern, as Minnesota has the largest incarceration rates for men of color. She said a single entrance into the criminal justice system significantly reduces a young person's chance of graduating. As an alternative, she recommended Restorative Justice, where victims of criminal behavior sit down face-to-face with offenders. She also highlighted outreach workers who approached youth hanging out Downtown last summer. The outreach workers checked to see if youth needed any help, and recommended alternative activities for them.</p>
<p>Brooklyn Center resident Renee Brown, a Crusaders Ministries pastor, offered to volunteer with police as advocates.</p>
<p>"Do you have any advocates in the police station that understand the youth, that are working directly with the parents, that can come along and assist you?" Brown said.</p>
<p>Hodges said money proposed in her budget would offer coaching for parents of adolescents.</p>
<p>"People really like to invest in children; they don't necessarily like to invest in adults," Hodges said. "We know that for our young people parents are incredibly crucial actors in their lives; nothing replaces that."</p>
<p>Residents raised several other issues: One Phillips resident asked for more transparency in the chief's meetings. Longfellow resident Liz Oppenheimer questioned whether a diverse police force could really provide systemic change while embedded in a "white supremacist" society. Lyndale resident Rachel Bean pressed for public access to body camera video. </p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/10/09/2014/KG-200x301.JPG" width="200" height="301" style="margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px; float: right;" />KG Wilson, a Central neighborhood resident and peace activist, said he doesn't think the police department deserves sole responsibility for the current state of affairs.</p>
<p>"The adults have become afraid of the children," he said. "We can't keep pushing it at the chief of police or the police department. It is our responsibility. ... Black men, if you're in here, it is time to stop being cowards. This is our children who are terrorizing our community."</p>
<p>After the meeting, Slaughter said she plans to start doorknocking and connect with parents who are worried about their kids.</p>
<p>"When parents say, 'Help me,' they almost have to have their kids go to jail before they get help," she said.</p>
<p>Two similar listening sessions are on the calendar: Oct. 14 at Church of the Ascension, 1723 Bryant Ave. N.; and Oct. 30 in a Cedar Riverside location to be determined. For more information, visit <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MinneapolisPoliceDepartment" target="_blank">facebook.com/MinneapolisPoliceDepartment</a>.</p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 10 Oct 2014 04:42:20 +0000Michelle Bruch23789 at http://www.journalmpls.comhttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/news/mayor-and-police-chief-hear-pleas-for-better-police-conduct#commentsBobiam heads to Northeasthttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/biz-buzzes/bobiam-heads-to-northeast
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Michelle Bruch</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Bōbiam Artistic Streetwear is relocating to Northeast Minneapolis after the Uptown Art Fair this weekend.</p>
<p>General Manager Sheri Moe said Bōbiam, along with the Social House and residential apartment tenants, were asked to leave to make way for a new restaurant with a rooftop deck. She said crews seem to be ready to start work, and they're taking measurements of the store.</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/07/31/2014/bobiamstore-30-450x220.jpg" width="450" height="220" style="float: right; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;" /></p>
<p>"Most of the tenants were given a week," she said.</p>
<p>Uptown Neighborhood News reported that Cowboy Jack's is moving into the space. The building owner and representatives from The After Midnight Group did not immediately return calls for comment.</p>
<p>Moe said the relocation is coming at a good time for Bōbiam.</p>
<p>"The business is growing so much we're splitting it into two businesses," she said. "People are interested from all over the world."</p>
<p>Bōbiam will continue to work with youth artists, and artists over age 18 will transition into a new sister company. They're aiming to work with more than 100 artists by year-end.</p>
<p>The print shop and offices will move into the Thorp building at 18th &amp; Central Avenue Northeast, and staff will continue teaching youth classes in the fall. The retail end of the shop will "hibernate," and staff will instead focus on the wholesale business and the national brand.</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/07/31/2014/Bobiam-Hats_Uptown%20Theater-400x220.jpg" width="400" height="220" style="float: left; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;" /></p>
<p>"We're excited to be part of the Northeast Arts District," Moe said. "It's a good fit."</p>
<p>The Social House owner did not immediately respond for comment. On the restaurant's Facebook page, staff said their lease was terminated.</p>
<p>"We had absolutely no control over this situation. We appreciate your business over the last 9 years in this space, but unfortunately all good things come to an end," staff wrote.</p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 01 Aug 2014 03:39:31 +0000Michelle Bruch23362 at http://www.journalmpls.comhttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/biz-buzzes/bobiam-heads-to-northeast#commentsA hotbed for foodieshttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/news/a-hotbed-for-foodies
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<span class="field-slideshow-caption-text">Danielle Bjorling of Copper Hen Cakery & Kitchen thinks avid restaurant-goers are driving demand for more restaurants — she sold 1,500 cupcakes her first four weeks in business</span>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Michelle Bruch</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-media--top field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><iframe src="https://mapsengine.google.com/map/embed?mid=zDEWiCtNpWOk.kV5nerqCZ5pg" width="640" height="480"></iframe></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-teaser field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">City’s restaurant scene continues to expand</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Minneapolis is seeing a boom in new eateries this year. The latest spots include Agra Culture in Uptown, Mattie's on Main on the riverfront, Copper Hen Cakery &amp; Kitchen on Eat Street and even a food bike called Geno's Gelato.</p>
<p>More than 30 restaurants have opened in Southwest Minneapolis in the past year, with 10 more anticipated to open by year-end.</p>
<p>Restaurateurs and industry experts offered several explanations for the boom, including a recovering economy and more dedicated foodies waiting for tables. </p>
<p><strong>An improving economy</strong></p>
<p>More than 1,000 units of luxury apartments have opened in Southwest Minneapolis over the course of 18 months, with more projects in the pipeline.</p>
<p>Classic investors look at the demographics and see an opportunity, said Kim Bartmann, owner of Bryant Lake Bowl, Barbette and other restaurants.</p>
<p>"Money always fuels everything," said restaurant consultant Tobie Nidetz, "and obviously money is out there ready to take chances on restaurants again."</p>
<p>Dan McElroy, executive director of the Minnesota Restaurant Association, points to the consumer confidence index as a telling indicator. Based on an index of 100, it reached as low as 29 during the recession, and has now rebounded to 85 — a level of 90 is considered robust growth.</p>
<p>"A big part of the restaurant resurgence is people simply have more confidence," McElroy said. "When people feel better, they eat and tend to go out more."</p>
<p>Interest rates also remain low, allowing entrepreneurs more borrowing power. About a quarter of restaurant openings today are funded with the help of Kickstarter campaigns, he said.</p>
<p><strong>Food trucks and farmers markets as startup incubators</strong></p>
<p>Costs associated with opening a restaurant continue to climb, said Pat Weber, a local restaurant consultant. A commercial kitchen ran about $100,000 10-15 years ago. Today if you're building a kitchen from scratch, you're lucky to pay under a quarter of a million, he said.</p>
<p>"One thing food trucks do is allow you to prove your concept prior to a major investment," Weber said.</p>
<p>The cost of a food truck launch is more affordable at $50,000-$100,000, he said, and allows restaurateurs to start gaining market share and a loyal following. Smack Shack, one of Weber's clients, had several thousand Facebook followers before they opened the doors, he said.</p>
<p><strong>Supply meets demand</strong></p>
<p>"The average restaurant-going public is growing, and it's definitely becoming more receptive to edgier cuisine and edgier concepts," Weber said.</p>
<p>Restaurant concepts once only found on the coasts are more accepted here today, Weber said.</p>
<p>"We live out by Stillwater, and people are becoming very picky with wanting good food and wanting different food and expanding their taste," said Tom DeGree, co-owner of Wilde Roast and Mattie's on Main.</p>
<p>Dietary accommodations like gluten free, something Wilde Roast has long catered to, are now spreading to the suburbs, he said.</p>
<p>Everybody's a foodie, agreed Danielle Bjorling of Copper Hen Cakery &amp; Kitchen, who said there doesn't seem to be enough restaurants to meet demand.</p>
<p>"Every place that's awesome is super busy," she said.</p>
<p>She was astonished to sell 1,500 cupcakes in the first four weeks of business.</p>
<p>A New York Times Magazine story published two years ago asked the question: "When Did Young People Start Spending 25% of Their Paychecks on Pickled Lamb’s Tongues?"</p>
<p>Local restaurateurs said they notice young people are eating out a lot, often in large groups, and often at the newest place in town.</p>
<p>"Anecdotally we know millennials visit restaurants more often, though they don't necessarily spend more money per visit," said Mary Chapman, director of product innovation for Technomic, a Chicago-based food research and consulting firm.</p>
<p>Restaurants and social occasions are a higher priority than older generations' priorities, such as saving to buy a house, she said.</p>
<p>Clark Wolf, a New York-based restaurant consultant, said the U.S. is still far behind Europe in food spending. Europeans spend roughly 13-18 percent of their income on food, he said, while Americans typically spend 9 percent. Meanwhile, Americans spend a greater percentage on health care, he said.</p>
<p>"The younger generation is saying no, I want to eat good food now and have a nice time," he said.</p>
<p><strong>How Minneapolis' restaurant scene compares to the nation</strong></p>
<p>Nationally, relatively few restaurants opened in recent years, with growth at 0.7 percent from year-end 2012 to 2013, according to Technomic.</p>
<p>A few towns are seeing a boom in restaurants, however, especially in towns where the economy has come back and the housing market is improved, Chapman said.</p>
<p>Minneapolis appears to be one of those, as it's recovered job numbers lost during the recession and the housing market improves. Other food boom towns include Columbus and the Phoenix area, Chapman said.</p>
<p>Wolf, the New York restaurant consultant, said he's seen increased national interest in food and local ingredients.</p>
<p>"This is a completely national phenomenon, and you guys are at the end of it," he said.</p>
<p>Wolf said that during the recession in 2010-11, more restaurants opened in the New York area than in the years before.</p>
<p>"That's partly because people simply wanted to invest in something that would be there next Tuesday," he said.</p>
<p><strong>The talent in the industry</strong></p>
<p>Many people interviewed for this story commented on the talent that's increasingly concentrated in Minneapolis.</p>
<p>More students are coming out of local culinary schools, Weber said, and there are more top-notch chefs working in the Twin Cities.</p>
<p>"When I was working in the industry in the early 90s, there were only four or five chefs I wanted to work for back then," Weber said. Today, when students ask where they should train, Weber simply asks what type of style they like.</p>
<p>Three James Beard award-winning chefs work in the Cities, including Tim McKee of La Belle Vie and the forthcoming Libertine, Alex Roberts of Restaurant Alma and Brasa, and Isaac Becker of 112 Eatery and Burch Steak.</p>
<p><strong>Still a tough business</strong></p>
<p>"With all this money out there, you'd figure I could find some of it," said Nidetz, who is working to open Prairie Dogs, a Lake Street hot dog diner. "I figured this would be a layup."</p>
<p>DeGree said banks are not lightening up on lending to restaurants. Mattie's opened with the help of an additional business partner.</p>
<p>"It's still really hard," DeGree said. "For us to open wasn't a standard bank loan, it's a difficult thing still to get."</p>
<p>Recently announced restaurant closures included several surprises: Rye Deli, Gray House and the Lynn on Bryant.</p>
<p>"Some restaurants last for 10 years in the loss column," Nidetz said.</p>
<p>"Unfortunately the best cooking isn't always the best money-maker in town," Weber said. "Publicly-traded chain restaurants are making a lot of money — but is the food any better?"</p>
<p>One reason Minneapolis might be seeing so many independent restaurants is that chains are sensitive to the cost of paying wait staff a minimum wage in addition to tips in Minnesota, McElroy said. Companies like Chili's and Applebee's haven't been adding many storefronts here, he said.</p>
<p>"The cost in Minnesota is significantly higher than other states," he said, making it a less attractive market.</p>
<p><strong>Sharing the pie</strong></p>
<p>With all the new restaurant openings, the question of saturation inevitably follows.</p>
<p>"Every time a restaurant opens 200 seats, they've got to come from somewhere," Weber said.</p>
<p>He said the competition is intense.</p>
<p>"You can't get by with what you had five years ago. Even old-school, classic restaurants have to start competing," he said.</p>
<p>Bartmann said her restaurants do notice a slowdown when a new hot spot opens up.</p>
<p>"It's usually a short-lived thing, and it evens out," she said. "The bar is getting raised. Everybody's game is upped. It's great because Minneapolis has world-class quality ingredients right at our doorstep, and we also have really talented chefs here."</p>
<p>Weber said he's optimistic that we have more room for growth.</p>
<p>"It's happening nationwide, but there is sort of a vacuum here," Weber said. "Places like New York are always at the forefront of culinary trends, but there is only so much room for growth there. ... It's a great time to be in the restaurant business. The public will continue to support independent restaurants more and more. There is plenty of room for everyone."</p>
<p><em>Reach Michelle Bruch at <a href="mailto:mbruch@southwestjournal.com">mbruch@southwestjournal.com</a>.</em></p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 18 Jun 2014 14:51:47 +0000Sarah McKenzie23147 at http://www.journalmpls.comhttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/news/a-hotbed-for-foodies#commentsBradstreet Craftshouse headed for former Rye Deli space http://www.journalmpls.com/news/biz-buzzes/bradstreet-craftshouse-headed-for-hennepin
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Michelle Bruch</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Ben Graves wanted to buy the building at 1930 Hennepin Ave. S. back when Auriga shut down in 2007.</p>
<p>So when Rye Deli closed this spring, the principal of Graves Hospitality quickly got on the phone.</p>
<p>"I've been looking at doing a spot in Uptown for a long time," said Graves, noting that he lives in the neighborhood near Lake of the Isles.</p>
<p>Bradstreet Craftshouse is exiting its Downtown home at Graves 601 Hotel, as Graves Hospitality accepts an unsolicited purchase offer for the hotel from New York-based Loews Hotels &amp; Resorts. The restaurant is slated to reopen as Bradstreet Neighborhood Craftshouse on Hennepin late this summer.</p>
<p>Graves said the expanded kitchen will offer late-night food and snacks. It will retain the original Bradstreet vibe, with new screenwalls and an upgraded patio.</p>
<p>"The biggest changes are windows and bathrooms," he said.</p>
<p>One focus of the bar is to "get rid of the snobby elitism of the cocktail world," Graves said. He promised that staff won't raise eyebrows at orders for vodka, cosmopolitans or dirty martinis.</p>
<p>"We'll make the best dirty martini you ever had," he said. "And by the way, it will be out timely."</p>
<p>Following the hotel sale, Graves will focus on opening six restaurants before the end of the year. Additional summer openings include a Seattle restaurant and Rival House in St. Paul.</p>
<p>"Graves 601 is actually a very small percentage of our business," he said. "The recent [sale] is more signature."</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 04 Jun 2014 12:27:55 +0000Michelle Bruch23028 at http://www.journalmpls.comhttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/biz-buzzes/bradstreet-craftshouse-headed-for-hennepin#commentsHomeless nonprofit raising money to meet increased demandhttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/news/homeless-nonprofit-raising-money-to-meet-increased-demand
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Michelle Bruch</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Lyndale resident Terre Thomas — best known as the Fairy Godmother — is working to raise $29,000 to help outfit the homeless for new jobs.</p>
<p>Thomas' nonprofit Small Sums is on track to double the number served this year to 600. Thomas said that's partly because more people experiencing homelessness are landing jobs in the improved economy, and partly because of Small Sums' outreach.</p>
<p>"We've been kind of under the radar for a lot of people that serve the homeless," Thomas said. "We've just been doing good work quietly for many years. We're not so quiet anymore."</p>
<p>The organization pays for things like certification fees, work clothes, uniforms, steel toe shoes and bus passes.</p>
<p>Small Sums is based at a Cheapo Records warehouse in St. Paul, and partners with Downtown groups including Catholic Charities, Salvation Army's Harbor Light Center, People Serving People's family shelter, and the Dignity Center in Loring Park.</p>
<p>"We want people to make enough money that they're stable enough to live at their own homes," Thomas said.</p>
<p>The fundraising campaign runs thru June 1. Shay Berkowitz, Phyllis Wiener, and Still Ain't Satisfied Foundation have offered a $5,000 matching grant for the campaign.</p>
<p>For more information, visit <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-278-homeless-workers-start-back-to-work-with-small-sums" target="_blank">https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-278-homeless-workers-start-back-to-work-with-small-sums</a></p>
</div></div></div>Sun, 25 May 2014 20:29:39 +0000Michelle Bruch22983 at http://www.journalmpls.comhttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/news/homeless-nonprofit-raising-money-to-meet-increased-demand#commentsReal Estate Guide // In tight home lending market, a few signs of changehttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/focus/real-estate-guide-in-tight-home-lending-market-a-few-signs-of-change
<div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Michelle Bruch</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Mortgage lenders say we're still in a tight lending environment following the recession, although a few factors are loosening some access to credit. Buyers can put less money down and secure loans with lower credit scores, but they're also working harder to prove their creditworthiness.</p>
<p>"It's not the way it used to be," said Chuck Meier, vice president and Minnesota mortgage market manager for BMO Harris Bank. "It's a lot of paper trail."</p>
<p>He said underwriting has returned to former days of dotting i's and crossing t's. For example, any non-payroll deposits on bank statements must be scrutinized to understand the source of funds, he said.</p>
<p>New lending rules took effect in January requiring loans to meet federal standards or face greater liability from lawsuits. Shawn Ryan, spokesman for the Mortgage Bankers Association in Washington, D.C., said banks started accounting for those changes last summer, causing credit to tighten through the fall of 2013.</p>
<p>"Borrowers need to know that they will have to demonstrate that they have sufficient income and assets that can be used to repay their loan," said Wells Fargo Spokesman Peggy Gunn. "Consumers will be asked to provide ample financial documentation of their ability to afford a loan and lenders are required to verify that information."</p>
<p>When viewed in the context of the real estate boom prior to the recession, the mortgage market has hardly loosened in recent years, said Ryan. Since the fall of 2010, the MBA's "mortgage credit availability index" has hovered around 100-113. That's a stark contrast to the beginning of 2007, when the index was projected at 800.</p>
<p>"It is eight times tighter than it was seven years ago," Ryan said. "We are very much in a tight credit environment."</p>
<p>States with the tightest mortgage markets include Maryland, New Jersey and New York, which Ryan said still struggle with foreclosures. Minnesota appears to be emerging from the foreclosure crisis, however. MBA ranks Minnesota 44th in mortgage delinquency rates among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, with a 4.5 percent delinquency rate in late 2013. The national delinquency rate is 6.4 percent, seasonally adjusted. That's the lowest level since early 2008.</p>
<p>Some factors are improving access to home loans. Private mortgage insurance protects lenders if buyers stop making mortgage payments. Private mortgage insurance was pulled back drastically, Meier said, but now it's become easier for buyers to obtain it, therefore allowing banks to issue loans for riskier loan-to-value ratios.</p>
<p>"You're able to buy a house with 5 percent down," Meier said. "We weren't there four or five years ago. That opens the door for us. Banks are all about risk."</p>
<p>Mortgages have also become a little easier to obtain for low- and moderate-income buyers. Banks are getting better at working with "rebound" buyers who were foreclosed on in the past, said Ed Nelson, marketing and communications manager for the Minnesota Homeownership Center. Cities including Minneapolis also have money available for down payment assistance.</p>
<p>"There was a lot of fear over the past several years," said Nelson, mentioning regulatory changes that generated concern about access to credit."Now they've worked it out and things have settled back down."</p>
<p>According to Ellie Mae, a company that provides mortgage software and creates monthly insight reports, 33 percent of closed loans in February had an average FICO credit score of less than 700, a stat that stood at 24 percent a year ago.</p>
<p>Wells Fargo recently reduced its minimum credit score for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) purchase loans from 640 to 600.</p>
<p>"It will increase access to credit — especially for first-time and low- to moderate-income home buyers — consistent with FHA program guidelines, regulatory standards and our own responsible lending principles," said Gunn.</p>
<p>Joe Witt, president of the Minnesota Bankers Association, said another positive sign is the turnaround in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He explained that banks sell a large percentage of loans to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.</p>
<p>"Whatever they're doing has a major impact on the housing market," Witt said.</p>
<p>Taxpayers stepped in to bail out Fannie and Freddie after the subprime mortgage crisis, he said, and the organizations were forced to scale back on the types of loans they could purchase.</p>
<p>Over time, the economy improved, and mortgage foreclosures declined significantly.</p>
<p>"Fannie and Freddie are doing a lot better now," Witt said, noting that Fannie Mae is making money again and evenreimbursing taxpayer bailout money. "We're back to a more normal situation."</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 09 Apr 2014 16:43:57 +0000Sarah McKenzie22713 at http://www.journalmpls.comhttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/focus/real-estate-guide-in-tight-home-lending-market-a-few-signs-of-change#commentsFertile ground for foodieshttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/news/fertile-ground-for-foodies
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Michelle Bruch</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-teaser field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Food startups are joining forces to nurture growing sector
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/03/27/2014/Food%20startups%201-350x206.JPG" width="350" height="206" style="float: left; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;" />You’ll find them at Bar Louie on a weeknight. The group includes the 24-year-old creator of peanut butter in upside-down jars, the inventor of herbal tea boxes for kids, the owner of the Hot Indian food truck, and the founder of Seven Sundays muesli.</p>
<p>Minneapolis-area food companies are meeting regularly for happy hour in Uptown to help support each other’s endeavors. The strictly informal group trades advice, meets one-on-one in coffee shops, consults with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and rents houses together at trade shows. More than 30 businesses come to the happy hours and there are newcomers every month, ranging from early startups to companies valued at several million.</p>
<p>“It’s cool to see more artisan-style food companies,” said Mike McKeon, a group member and consultant on Whole Foods’ private label Engine 2. “The focus on natural and organic opens the door to entrepreneurs.”</p>
<p>A few cities are known for a concentration of food startups, such as Boulder, Austin and the Bay area.</p>
<p>Minneapolis may join their ranks as more organizations pop up to support food entrepreneurs. City Food Studio held a grand opening in March for its shared-use commercial kitchen at 38th &amp; Chicago. And a new small business accelerator called The Digging LLC moved into a Northeast Minneapolis building this year to serve as a consultant for the food and beverage industry. The management team previously launched 2 Gingers Irish Whiskey in Minnesota, which was later acquired by Beam Inc.</p>
<p>Hot Indian Foods founder Amol Dixit said Minnesota offers the entire value chain of food — from Cargill’s agricultural focus, to General Mills’ manufacturing and marketing expertise, to Supervalu and Target’s retail experience. He said the state also boasts success stories like Angie’s Kettle Corn out of Mankato.</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/03/27/2014/Food%20startups%202-350x234.JPG" width="350" height="234" style="float: right; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;" />“We have talent across the board in the food business,” he said. “A couple more of these do well, and it will be known.”</p>
<p>Dixit is expanding his food truck into a restaurant at the Midtown Global Market, which he described as an “Indian Chipotle” — to prepare, he worked at Chipotle for six weeks to gain a little more restaurant experience.</p>
<p>“I want to make Indian food less intimidating for the masses,” he said.</p>
<p>Dixit previously worked for General Mills’ corporate venture capital group, where he built relationships with food startups. When he left the company to start the food truck, he reached out to those contacts for help.</p>
<p>“I kept hearing the same things about issues they were facing, and would say, ‘Have you talked to so-and-so?” he said. “I thought it would be great if we could all get together.”</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/03/27/2014/Hot%20Indian%20Foods%203%20-%20food%20truck-200x200.JPG" width="200" height="200" style="float: left; margin: 5px;" />Five or six companies ended up meeting at Bar Louie for cocktails more than a year ago, and they haven’t stopped.</p>
<p>Dixit said the group’s network helps in finding funding and investors. They also introduced him to a University of Minnesota entrepreneurship professor that assigned a project on his brand.</p>
<p>“I only reached out to that professor because one of the other entrepreneurs had done that,” he said. “It was basically free consulting from business school students.”</p>
<p>Some other recent happy hour attendees:</p>
<p>— Andrew Kincheloe makes Buddy’s peanut butter out of the City Food Studio in flavors like chocolate peanut. The Salty Tart recently created a cupcake with his peanut butter in the batter. Buddy’s launched last January in stores like Local D’lish and the Eastside Food Co-op.</p>
<p>“I love the stories behind the food,” Kincheloe said.</p>
<p>The story behind the upside-down peanut butter jar: Growing up, Kincheloe’s family had a constant stand-off as to who would open and therefore stir a new peanut butter jar with separated oil. Thanks to Buddy’s new upside-down jar, problem solved.</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/03/27/2014/Mill%20City%20Bread%204-200x200.jpg" width="200" height="200" style="float: left; margin: 5px;" />— Mill City Bread is a bake-at-home bread mix coming soon to The Wedge Co-op and just picked up by the Linden Hills Co-op and Local D’lish. Owner Kurt Weissenfels said you simply add water to the mix, let it sit on the counter overnight, and pop it in the oven the next day. He may sell the only ciabatta mix in the country — he can find one other in England, and one in South Africa.</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/03/27/2014/Pop%27d%20Kerns%201-200x277.jpg" width="200" height="277" style="float: right; margin: 5px;" /></p>
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<p>— Carl Blanz is a leadership consultant and chef at Courageous Culture LLC.</p>
<p>
</p><p>— When the commercial real estate market crashed, former leasing agent Caleb Krienke decided to buy his own company. He now sells Pop’d Kerns — half-popped popcorn that’s a little heavier than popcorn. It’s available at 450 Holiday gas stations and stores like the Rainbow on Lake.</p>
<p>“You learn as you go, and you learn fast,” he said.</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/03/27/2014/Domata%20flour%201-200x200.jpg" width="200" height="200" style="float: left; margin: 5px;" />— Domata, owned by David Madison, makes gluten-free flour that can be used as a substitute for all-purpose flour.</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/03/28/2014/12HT001_HD_OG-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" style="float: right; margin: 5px;" />— Tim Murphy left General Mills to try an entrepreneurial venture, experimenting with healthy Hot Pockets-style recipes. He went on to become CEO of Hot Dang grain burgers, a Texas-based company that makes burgers from grain, rice and beans. A Midwest expansion is forthcoming.</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/03/27/2014/Drazil%20Kids%20Tea%201-250x159.jpg" width="250" height="159" style="float: left; margin: 5px;" />— Drazil Tea (that’s lizard spelled backwards) is a tea-based juicebox for kids, made with caffeine-free tea and natural fruit juice.</p>
<p>“I love tea, and I thought why shouldn’t kids drink it too?” said Christine Wheeler. “I really want to create tea drinkers.”</p>
<p>The product has launched in California, and Wheeler plans to gradually expand distribution into the Midwest next year.</p>
<p>“It’s been a great journey,” she said. “I love this group.”</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/03/27/2014/Dr.%20In%20The%20Kitchen%201-150x167.jpg" width="150" height="167" style="float: right; margin: 5px;" />— Donn Kelly, a former consumer packaged goods consultant and marketer at Pillsbury and Best Buy, met business partner Alison Levitt at the dog park (she lives in Linden Hills, he lives in Field). They quickly discovered that Levitt worked as a doctor and had a new product, and Kelly was an expert at bringing products to market.</p>
<p>“She had her own clients, and she was feeding them these flackers,” he said. flackers are flax seed crackers, high in Omega-3 and fiber. “I said, let’s get serious about it.”</p>
<p>They formed Dr. In The Kitchen, found space in a commercial kitchen, and started pitching the product to local co-ops. They landed in five stores in 2008; today flackers are in 1,500 stores.</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/03/27/2014/Seven%20Sundays%20muesli%201-300x114.jpg" width="300" height="114" style="float: left; margin: 5px;" />— Hannah Barnstable and her husband Brady developed Seven Sundays muesli after discovering it on their honeymoon in New Zealand. Hannah started the business by delivering muesli to co-ops and opening a stand at the Midtown Farmers Market. Seven Sundays is now available in 700 stores and recently expanded into Minnesota Target stores.</p>
<p>“What was interesting about Target is they reached out to us because cereal sales were declining across the board,” she said.</p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/resize/images/articles/03/27/2014/DSC07004-350x263.JPG" width="350" height="263" style="float: right; margin: 5px;" />Hannah and Brady live with their one-year-old son in Lynnhurst. They travel together to visit accounts in the Rocky Mountains, and office out of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy building in Whittier (IATP owns Peace Coffee).</p>
<p>Hannah’s had countless coffee meetings with other food entrepreneurs. She’s learned from group members how to create a UPC label, shared a trade show booth with Drazil Tea, and rented a house with other startups for an Anaheim, Calif. trade show.</p>
<p>“We have all these food companies based here,” she said. “All these great food people want to spin off and are doing their own thing. ... We’re starting to leverage one another to grow.”</p>
</div>
</div></div></div>Thu, 27 Mar 2014 16:00:40 +0000Sarah McKenzie22611 at http://www.journalmpls.comhttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/news/fertile-ground-for-foodies#commentsMinnesota FoodShare launches food drive as benefit cuts take effecthttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/news/minnesota-foodshare-launches-food-drive-as-benefit-cuts-take-effect
<div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Michelle Bruch</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>The state's largest food drive is underway.</p>
<p>"Every year we're trying to raise at least 50 percent of what will be distributed through the next year," said Suzanne Shatila, Minnesota FoodShare director.</p>
<p>Minnesota FoodShare reports that in 2012, one out of 10 Minnesotans received federal food assistance, a third of them children. Food stamps, food shelves and subsidized school lunches all saw record use in 2012.</p>
<p>"Even though we're hearing that the economy is improving, it hasn't touched a lot of the people using food shelves," Shatila said.</p>
<p>The March Campaign started in 1983 to help food shelves restock after the holidays. Local participants include The Aliveness Project at 3808 Nicollet Ave. and the Joyce Uptown Food Shelf at 3041 Fremont Ave. S.</p>
<p>Last year, people donated $8.3 million and nearly 4 million pounds of food.</p>
<p>FoodShare staff recommend monetary donations to take advantage of food shelves' buying power.</p>
<p>"They're able to really stretch money," Shatila said.</p>
<p>If someone does want to donate food, however, Shatila recommended contacting their local food shelf for recommendations, as needs vary.</p>
<p>The March Campaign comes at a time when new food stamp cuts have taken effect, and more reductions are in the pipeline. A temporary recession-era funding boost to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly called food stamps) ended Nov. 1, cutting benefits for nearly all recipients.</p>
<p>Shatila said the full impact isn't yet clear, but some food shelves report an increase in emergency visits.</p>
<p>"Families started seeing $36 less per month," she said. "When you already have very little to spend on food each month, $36 is a significant amount."</p>
<p>Additional Southwest-area food shelves include Incarnation Church Food Shelf at 3817 Pleasant Ave. S., Groveland Emergency Food Shelf at 1900 Nicollet Ave., and Simpson Food Pantry at 2740 1st Ave. S. The March food drive at Sabathani Community Center, 310 E. 38th St., yields matching donations.</p>
<p>For more information, visit <a href="http://mnfoodshare.gmcc.org/">mnfoodshare.gmcc.org.</a></p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 12 Mar 2014 14:52:05 +0000Sarah McKenzie22527 at http://www.journalmpls.comhttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/news/minnesota-foodshare-launches-food-drive-as-benefit-cuts-take-effect#commentsNew bill would change oversight and environmental review of airporthttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/government/new-bill-would-change-oversight-and-environmental-review-of-airport
<div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Michelle Bruch</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><span style="font-family: %value;">A hearing is already set to discuss airport legislation drafted by State Rep. Frank Hornstein and Sen. Scott Dibble. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: %value;">The bill would require a more in-depth environmental review of the airport's expansion plans — an updated version of HF 1717 introduced last session. It would also balance out the composition of the airport's Noise Oversight Committee, Hornstein said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: %value;">"It's very much tilted toward people from the aviation sector," he said. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: %value;">He said the bill would give the Legislature more oversight over airport decisions. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: %value;">"The MAC [Metropolitan Airports Commission] is an appointed agency, not elected. We want a little more accountability," he said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: %value;">Hornstein said a hearing on the bill is scheduled for March 4.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: %value;">The state does not have jurisdiction over Performance Based Navigation (PBN), the proposed national shift to fewer flight paths out of airports. The potential for so-called "highways in the sky" has alarmed some residents of Southwest Minneapolis. Residents formed an advocacy group called MSP FairSkies and they continue to meet with neighborhood groups to explain the situation. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: %value;">Last fall, Congressman Keith Ellison wrote to the Federal Aviation Administration calling for a broader environmental review of PBN.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: %value;">"New technology deserves to have a thoughtful review of its effects," Ellison wrote.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: %value;">In January, MAC spokesman Patrick Hogan said the FAA had not yet made a decision on local PBN implementation. </span></p>
</div></div></div>Mon, 10 Feb 2014 16:30:41 +0000Sarah McKenzie22379 at http://www.journalmpls.comhttp://www.journalmpls.com/news/government/new-bill-would-change-oversight-and-environmental-review-of-airport#comments